Darts for beginners: steel tip vs soft tip, board layout, oche distance and height

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Darts is cheap to start, easy to set up at home and played in pubs and clubs nearly everywhere. Before you throw your first dart, it helps to know the two main versions of the game, how the board is laid out, and how to hang it at the right height and distance.

Steel tip vs soft tip

Steel tip darts have a sharp metal point and are thrown at a bristle board. This is the traditional game and the one you see in most televised professional darts.
Soft tip darts have plastic points and are thrown at an electronic board with small holes, which scores automatically. They are common in bars with machines, and safer around children and walls.

The scoring of the main games is the same, but the equipment is not interchangeable: never throw steel tips at an electronic board, and soft tips do not stick in bristle. Choose based on where you will play most.

How the board is laid out

A standard board is split into 20 numbered segments. 20 is at the top, and going clockwise the numbers run: 20, 1, 18, 4, 13, 6, 10, 15, 2, 17, 3, 19, 7, 16, 8, 11, 14, 9, 12, 5 The order is deliberately mixed, so high numbers sit next to low ones and missing is punished. Each segment has rings:

Outer thin ring: double. Scores twice the number. Double 20 is 40.
Inner thin ring: treble. Scores three times the number. Treble 20 is 60.
Large areas between: single.
Outer bull: 25.
Bullseye (inner bull): 50, which also counts as a double in most games.

The highest score with three darts is 180: three treble 20s.

Board height

For steel tip, the centre of the bullseye should be 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) from the floor. Measure to the centre of the bull, not the top or bottom of the board. Soft tip boards are commonly hung at the same height.

Throwing distance

The line you throw from is called the oche (said "ockey"), or simply the throw line.

Steel tip: 7 ft 9.25 in (2.37 m) from the face of the board to the front of the oche, measured along the floor.
Soft tip: commonly 8 ft (2.44 m), though some leagues and machines use their own distance.

Measure from the face of the board, not the wall behind it, since the board's thickness matters. A useful check for steel tip is the diagonal from the centre of the bull down to the front of the oche, which should be about 2.93 m (9 ft 7 3/8 in). If both measurements agree, your set-up is right.

Setting up at home

Wall protection: a surround (a ring that fits around the board) or a cabinet saves your wall from missed darts.
Floor protection: a mat stops points from being blunted and protects the floor.
Lighting: light the board evenly, from in front, so your own shadow does not fall on it.
Space: leave room either side of the throwing line, and keep the area clear of doorways people walk through.
Rotate a bristle board now and then so the 20 segment does not wear out first; many boards let you remove the number ring and turn the board.

Safety

Only throw when everyone is behind you.
Never retrieve darts while anyone else is throwing.
Pull darts out with a slight twist rather than yanking them straight out.
Keep steel tip darts away from young children.

What to play first

Start with round the clock to learn where the numbers are, then move on to 501, the standard match game. Both are explained in other guides in this room. Is your board up yet, or are you deciding between steel and soft tip? Ask in the comments, or share a photo of your set-up.